PAPERCRETE AS A SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL: OPTIMIZATION OF MECHANICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES USING STATISTICAL APPROACHES

Waste recovering

In a context where sustainability has become a priority, this study explores the potential of papercrete as an environmentally friendly alternative in the construction sector. It is a composite material composed of recycled paper pulp, sand and cement. The aim of the study is to optimise the mechanical and physical properties (density, water absorption capacity, flexural tensile strength, dry compressive strength, wet compressive strength) of papercrete by identifying the most influential factors and the optimum formulation. The factors investigated (with their respective levels) are cement content (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%), sand content (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) and compression ratio (1.00, 1.25, 1.50). Using a full factorial design, sixty experimental combinations were carried out. The results were then analysed using the Taguchi method and principal component analysis. It was shown that the mechanical properties of the papercrete and the proportions of the ingredients influenced the performance of the material. The identified optimum formulation of 20% cement, 30% sand and 50% recycled pulp with a compression ratio of 1.50 achieves balanced properties. The resulting papercrete is a high performance solution for sustainable construction. Despite this valuable data, further research, such as thermal characterisation, is required to complete the assessment of the material's performance. By recovering waste paper and reducing cement consumption, papercrete is a promising alternative to meet environmental challenges.

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